Gateways Have Benefits, Drawbacks
Gateways Have Benefits, Drawbacks December 22, 2009
Today's topic is the use of gateways to connect building systems.
If you have two building systems from different manufacturers and you want them to work together, one option is to use a gateway. Gateways are software-based devices that enable one system to control another and permit data to be shared between systems.
There are many cases where gateways are a logical option. When new equipment has to be linked to a legacy system, for example, a gateway is a more economical way to do that than replacing an entire system.
But gateways have limitations. When new systems are being designed, consider specifying interoperable systems, which don’t require gateways to communicate. Many vendors now offer interoperable systems using protocols like BACnet, LonTalk or Modbus. If systems using these protocols are properly designed, devices from different manufacturers should be able to communicate without gateways.
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